1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to information transmission systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to an information transmission system to transmit work instruction information to a worker that is working at a remote complicated working environment from a work instructor.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the case where the work instruction information such as the work procedure is to be provided from a skilled work instructor to a worker who is working at a remote working environment, the instruction information is generally provided via voice using, for example, a telephone.
However, it is usually difficult for the worker to recognize the region to be worked on or the work procedure by just the instruction through voice when working on an object of a complicated task. The working efficiency may be degraded significantly. For example, it is often difficult for a service engineer that is carrying out the maintenance task of a complicated electronic instrument at a remote site to identify the region to be repaired and carry out the required task by just the working instructions from an experienced instructor at the home station through telephone.
A possible consideration is to use a television telephone to convey the working instructions to a worker using image information in addition to voice information. However, the worker still has to rely on the voice information from the instructor as to detecting the region to be worked on from the displayed image and identify what kind of work is to be executed even if the worker obtains both voice information and image information. The problem that the instructed information is not conveyed appropriately is not solved. For example, even if the instructor refers to xe2x80x9cthis switchxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cthat wiringxe2x80x9d, the worker could not easily identify the relevant position on the image. The working efficiency could not be improved.
In view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide an information transmission system that can accurately provide work instruction information from a work instructor to a worker that is working at a remote working environment.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an information transmission system that allows a worker working at a remote working environment to instantly recognize visually the region of an object to be worked on or the work procedure.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an information transmission system that allows a worker working at a remote working environment to visually recognize the task manual information together with an object to be worked on.
According to an aspect of the present invention, an information transmission system to transmit work instruction information from a work instructor to a worker includes an image pickup device, a first transmission device, a first display device, an information input device, a second transmission device, an information combining device, and a second display device. The image pickup device picks up an image of an object to be worked on at the worker side. The first transmission device transmits video information of the object generated by the image pickup device to the work instructor side. The first display device displays the video information transmitted from the first transmission device to the work instructor. The information input device enters the work instruction information by the work instructor based on the video information displayed on the first display device. The second transmission device transmits the work instruction information entered through the information input device to the worker side. The information combining device combines the video information of the object generated by the image pickup device and the work instruction information transmitted from the second transmission device. The second display device displays information combined by the information combine device to the worker.
Accordingly, the worker working at a remote working environment can visually recognize the work instruction information overlapped on the image of the object to be worked on. Therefore, the region of the object or the work procedure can be identified visually at an instant to significantly improve working efficiency.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an information transmission system to transmit work instruction information from a work instructor to a worker includes an image pickup device, a first transmission device, a first display device, a position information input device, a second transmission device, an information combining device, and a second display device. The image pickup device picks up an image of an object to be worked on within a range including at least the worker""s field of view. The first transmission device transmits video information of the object generated by the image pickup device to the work instructor side. The first display device displays the video information transmitted from the first transmission device to the work instructor. The position information input device enters pointing position information with respect to the object by the work instructor based on the video information displayed on the first display device. The second transmission device transmits the pointing position information input by the position information input device to the worker. The information combining device combines the video information of the object generated by the image pickup device and marker video information according to the pointing position information transmitted from the second transmission device. The second display device displays information combined by the information combining device to the worker.
Since the worker working at a remote working environment can visually recognize the pointing position information of the work instructor overlapped on the image of the object to be worked on, the region to be worked can be recognized visually at an instant to significantly improve working efficiency.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, an information transmission system to transmit work instruction information from a work instructor to a worker includes an image pickup device, a first transmission device, a first display device, a position information input device, a second transmission device, a moving distance detection device, a correction device, an information combining device, and a second display device. The image pickup device is fastened to the head of the worker to pickup an image of an object to be worked on within a range including at least the worker""s field of view. The first transmission device transmits video information of the object generated by the image pickup device to the work instructor side. The first display device displays the video information transmitted from the first transmission device to the work instructor. The position information input device enters pointing position information with respect to the object by the work instructor based on the video information displayed on the first display device. The second transmission device transmits the pointing position information input by the position information input device to the worker side. The moving distance detection device detects the spatial moving distance of the worker""s head during a time starting from an image pickup time by the image pickup device up to the time the pointing position information reaches the worker side. The correction device corrects the pointing position information obtained at the worker side corresponding to the spatial moving distance of the head detected by the moving distance detection device. The information combining device combines the video information of the object generated by the image pickup device and marker video information according to the pointing position information corrected by the correction device. The second display device displays the information combined by the information combining device to the worker.
Because the pointing position information of the work instructor is corrected even if the head of the worker to which the image pickup device is fastened moves during the period required for information transmission between the worker and the work instructor, the worker can properly recognize the region to be worked on of the object.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, an information transmission system to transmit work instruction information from a work instructor to a worker includes an image pickup device, a first transmission device, a first display device, a stroke information input device, a second transmission device, an information combining device, and a second display device. The image pickup device picks up an image of an object to be worked on within a range including at least the worker""s field of view. The first transmission device transmits video information of the object generated by the image pickup device to the work instructor side. The first display device displays the video information transmitted from the first transmission device to the work instructor. The stroke information input device enters stroke information constituted by continuous pointing positions with respect to the object by the work instructor based on the video information displayed on the first display device. The second transmission device transmits the stroke information input by the stroke information input device to the worker side. The information combining device combines the video information of the object generated by the image pickup device and the stroke video information according to the stroke information transmitted from the second transmission device. The second display device displays information combined by the information combining device to the worker.
Because the worker working at a remote working environment can visually recognize the stroke information of the work instructor overlapped on the image of the object to be worked on, the region of the object or the work procedure can be recognized visually at an instant to significantly improve working efficiency.
According to a still further aspect of the present invention, an information transmission system to transmit work instruction information from a work instructor to a worker includes an image pickup device, a first transmission device, a first display device, a stroke information input device, a character recognition device, a second transmission device, an information combining device, and a second display device. The image pickup device picks up an image of an object to be worked on within a range including at least the worker""s field of view. The first transmission device transmits video information of the object generated by the image pickup device to the work instructor side. The first display device displays the video information transmitted from the first transmission device to the work instructor. The stroke information input device enters stroke information constituted by continuous pointing positions with respect to the object by the work instructor based on the video information displayed on the first display device. The character recognition device recognizes a character corresponding to the input stroke information to generate corresponding character information. The second transmission device transmits the character information generated by the character recognition device to the worker side. The information combining device combines the video information of the object generated by the image pickup device and the character video information according to the character information transmitted from the second transmission device. The second display device displays information combined by the information combine device to the worker.
Because the worker working at a remote working environment can recognize visually the character information of the work instructor overlapped on the image of the object to be worked on, the region of the object or the work procedure can be recognized visually at an instant to significantly improve working efficiency.
According to yet a further aspect of the present invention, an information transmission system to transmit work instruction information from a work instructor to a worker includes an image pickup device, a first transmission device, a first display device, an information storage device, an information select device, a second transmission device, an information combining device, and a second display device. The image pickup device picks up an image of an object to the worked on within a range including at least the worker""s field of view. The first transmission device transmits video information of the object generated by the image pickup device to the work instructor side. The first display device displays the video information transmitted from the first transmission device to the work instructor. A plurality of task manual information files are stored in the information storage device. The information select device selects a particular task manual information file from the plurality of task manual information files in response to an indication of the work instructor based on the video information displayed on the first display device. The second transmission device transmits the task manual information file selected by the information selection device to the worker side. The information combining device combines the video information of the object generated by the image pickup device and the task manual video information according to the task manual information file transmitted from the second transmission device. The second display device displays information combined by the image combining device to the worker.
Because the worker working at a remote working environment can recognize visually the task manual information overlapped on the image of the object to be worked on, the work procedure can be recognized visually at an instant to significantly improve working efficiency.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.